Over the last weekend in August, 12 mothers, 13 children and 8 staff members headed off to Camp St. Albans for our annual Mother-Child Bonding Retreat.

It was quite the expedition. Two van loads, five cars, one truck full of food, thirty sleeping bags, four Pack ‘n Plays, and numerous child car seats made way to the beautiful camp and lake.

In the midst of nature, campfires & s’mores, sleeping under the stars, and breathing the fresh air, mothers and their children created dream catchers, played games, participated in a scavenger hunt, made crafts, enjoyed story time, explored the camp on nature walks, went swimming, and enjoyed boating time on the water. Everyone, from our youngest camper (4 weeks old) to the eldest (65 years old), made it home without incident.

We hold this annual outing to give mothers experiences that help build their connection with their children as they reunify, to teach them healthy ways to parent, and to show them how to have fun in recovery. For some mothers, this retreat was the longest time they had recently spent with their children, and many had never been camping. It was good medicine for all; food for the soul, along with a few mosquito bites.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the trip was a talent show featuring the children performing several adorable renditions of various songs. The show concluded under the darkening sky as we joined in to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

Thank you for making activities like this possible by supporting our mission.